unit2essay - Papp 1 Maria Papp Professor Betsy Hogan WRT...

Papp 1Maria PappProfessor Betsy HoganWRT 1051 November 2010Homeless is the New Black: the Rising Trend and Normalization of Homelessness The poor and homeless have often been portrayed as lazy, worthless, and uncivilized, but recently after the economic downturn, the homeless are establishing a new image which depicts them in a more dignified manner. Often in magazine advertisements and television programs and commercials, we are shown images of the homeless in the typical way; sloppy, living on the streets, wearing rags, and sometimes even as drug abusers. More recently, homeless people have been shown as regular people who aren’t in rags and aren’t drug addicts. After the recent economic downturn, more people are starting to see that being poor or homeless can happen to really anyone. There are about 40 homeless people living in the tent city that’s shown in the image below, and that’s just one of the cities (Morris).

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Papp 2This photograph on the side was taken by Benjamin Lowy for an article published in The New York Magazine about homeless people living in tent cities in New Jersey. This image shows one of the subject who was interviewed for the article. The man is sitting in a position that actually seems to be fit for someone of a wealthier class. It is a common cross-legged, seated position and with his hand to his face, that is a typical commercialized pose of a wealthy older man. The man in the image looks very proud and dignified and he does not look ashamed or embarrassed whatsoever. The man actually looks as if he is looking down upon the audience. He almost seems to radiate this “I’m above you” attitude. He is looking directly into the camera and is not hidden or trying to avoid the lens. The image is also interesting because, not only is the man lounged in this position, but he is also wearing a bathrobe. It is also noteworthy that the table that is next to the man has a tablecloth on it and there are takeout food containers. This seems very normal and out of place when compared to other images of the homeless.This image represents normalcy of the homeless. An average family would have a table with a tablecloth and it would be common to order out for dinner. It is also normal to wear a bathrobe while sitting down or resting and it’s

Papp 3normal to have takeout food. This photograph is particularly compelling because you can clearly see contrasts throughout the image. When first looking at the image, there’s a man that might not

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